Wellington Is The Ideal Location For Equestrian Entrepreneur Elizabeth Ehrlich
The Wellington area is a hotspot for entrepreneurs, and for Elizabeth Ehrlich, it has been the perfect location to help her business thrive. Since launching her equine supplements company Equine Elixirs in 2016, she has become a familiar face in the area and is often seen at local horse show grounds, chatting with clients who rely on her products to keep their horses happy and healthy.
A key component to Ehrlich’s success is her widely traveled customer base, who flock to Wellington each year.
“The exciting thing about the equestrian community in Wellington is that because it is so close-knit and there are so many people who come down here for an extended period during the winter, you have this unique opportunity to meet lots of people who live in other parts of the country or the world, who are then spending three months together talking about everything that they’re experiencing down here,” Ehrlich said. “So, when I meet somebody at the show and they learn about something they think has really helped their horse, they’re very eager to share it.”
Ehrlich’s foray into entrepreneurship was an unexpected journey. Though she had long dreamed of relocating to Florida from the Northeast, she didn’t get the chance until 2012, when she left her position at a law firm in Manhattan to move to the Wellington area with her husband. While settling into her work at a new firm, Ehrlich finally had time to get back into riding, something the lifelong equestrian had put on hold during her busy career. Little did she know that her new horse, Bella, would ultimately change her life.
Not long after purchasing Bella, Ehrlich discovered the mare was battling gastric ulcers, a common problem in many horses. She worked with her veterinarian to treat the issue, but she also wanted to come up with a long-term solution to prevent the ulcers from returning.
Ehrlich researched equine gastric health supplements available on the market, but she wasn’t satisfied. The cost of monthly maintenance products was expensive, and their lengthy list of ingredients, many of which included unknown chemicals, was a turnoff. So, she decided to try and create her own product instead.
One of the first problems Ehrlich tackled was cost. “I thought, if you’re going to do this properly as a monthly maintenance product, the price can really add up,” she said. “Many products can be anywhere between $70 and $130 a month for one particular body system supplement, like a gastric support supplement.”
She sought to edit the ingredients and simplify the formula.
“I wondered if it could be simplified, and if so, what type of foods would have the vitamin, mineral or amino acid content to satisfy the requirements,” Ehrlich said. “That’s what triggered the questions on my end, and that’s how we ended up with the ingredients that we used.”
And for Ehrlich, the quality and effectiveness of the all-natural ingredients was of paramount importance. Word spread, and other riders and trainers in the area discovered first-hand how well their horses responded to Ehrlich’s product, which she named Ulceraser.
What began as a project to find a solution for Bella’s gastric health issues soon became a full-time gig. Eventually, Ehrlich quit her job to concentrate on her new business. Since then, she has created products each year, including Positude, an all-natural supplement that supports hormonal balance and even temperament, and Tidbits, healthy treats that support digestion for ulcer-prone horses. She is launching two more this spring: Calmakazi, a daily forage-based blend for nervous system support, and Immunox, a forage blend that helps support a horse’s immune system.
Though competition is fierce in the equestrian supplement market, customers say Equine Elixirs’ service sets it apart.
“It’s not just answering phone calls and e-mails, but it’s being available to consult about many aspects of a horse’s health and training program,” Ehrlich said. “We’re not a company whose web site you’ll go to and order a product, have it delivered and never hear from again. We are regularly asked to come to somebody’s barn or meet them at a show. They want to introduce us to a horse, tell us a little bit about the horse’s background, and some of the issues that they’re having. We’ll talk about some of the products that could be beneficial for that particular horse. Then there’s a lot of follow-up afterward to see how the horse is responding.”
Over the years, Ehrlich has stayed true to her mission of keeping her products affordable without compromising quality. “I have always worked on keeping the prices at the most fair and reasonable cost, so customers are comfortable knowing that these products really are designed as monthly maintenance supplements,” she said.
Thanks to Bella and the supportive Wellington area, Ehrlich has carved out a perfect niche for her company in this equestrian mecca.
Learn more about Elizabeth Ehrlich’s company at www.equineelixirs.com.
